Immigration and creationism at United Methodist annual conference in Mobile

United Methodists of the Alabama-West Florida Conference convene in Mobile, Alabama, on Tuesday, June 4, 2013. (Bill Starling/bstarling@al.com)

MOBILE, Alabama – On the second full day of their annual conference, United Methodists meeting in Mobile considered immigration and creationism, among other items on the agenda.

Meeting at Christ United Methodist Church on Tuesday morning, delegates to the Alabama-West Florida Conference voted to call upon the Alabama Legislature to place the state’s controversial immigration law, passed in 2011, “on hold because of its injurious effect on innocent children.”

The group also resolved to call upon U.S. congressional delegations of both states to pass federal immigration laws that “provide for compassion, respect, and justice for immigrant children, workers, and their families."

The group, meanwhile, voted down petitions that would have sent requests to the 2016 General Conference regarding creationism and evolution.

One would have removed language endorsing reconciliatory programs between religion and science. Another would have removed language stating that scientific descriptions of evolution did not in conflict with theology. A third petition would have added language supporting the teaching of creationism along with evolution in the public schools.

All were voted down after lively discussion.

“Christianity is our world view,” offered the Rev. Ralph Sigler of The Harvest Church United Methodist in Dothan. He said the Apostles’ Creed, “our most well-known creed,” references “maker of heaven and Earth” and that parents who want the theory of intelligent design taught to their children may find that “their church stands against them.”

Christ United Senior Pastor Jeff Spiller of Mobile said that of one petition that it would at least reference God. “Any way you can get God in the conversation,” he said.

Others spoke against the petition. Trevor Warren, a recent high school graduate from Spanish Fort, said he believed that the petitions go against the separation of church and state. “We do not send our children to school to learn about religion,” said Warren, a member of Providence UMC. “I thought that was the church’s job.”

The Rev. Wesley Wachob, senior pastor of First United Methodist in Pensacola, said that there is “no conflict” between science and theology, and that creationism is not science. “It’s bad theology,” he said.